If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

We're aware the forums aren't working as they should, and we're working on it. Our apologies. In the meantime, you can discuss with others on the Onyx Path Discussion Group on Facebook.

I don't have the creative skill of the people posting in this thread, but I've been juggling the idea of an offshoot of the Tzimice clan. They have a twisted parody of the ideas of knighthood, and gather their 'loved ones', whether blood bonded ghouls, blood relatives, or simple mortal allies to fuse them into a Vozhd. My twist is that after they do so, the created Vozhd is entirely without a sense of will, so they 'fuse' with their newfound creation and use them as a sort of organic armor.

They meld themselves into a hollowed canopy inside the vozhd, and control it from within to battle foes. Since it's an amalgam of their loved ones, they view this melding as the highest form of love, and commune with the half-mad, primitive 'souls' while controlling the creature. I don't really have a name for them, but they hold to the ye olden ideals of chivalry and justice.

Being apart from their corpulent, decaying family is painful for them, and many of the elders of this offshoot eventually decide to bond themselves fully to their flesh golems, forgoing any sort of path of enlightenment or any remnants of their humanity, instead just giving themselves over to the conflicted mass consciousness they created.

Comment

Every family has a black sheep, a secret that should remain unknown. In the case of the Tremere, that Black Sheep is known as House Caedmon.

A lesser Bloodline within the clan, they trace back their history to 1225AD, when Caedmon, a Saxon ghoul vetersn of the Omem and Massasa War, was embraced into the clan. A warrior, the choice was an odd one, but it gave rise to a small force within the ranks whose initial purpose was to defend them and direct the Gargoyle forces, but later on branch off into dealing with "problem" elements. Unlike other Tremere, they are not Blood Bounded to the Council and they can be found in any sect. Their main loyalty is to themselves first and foremost, and lie the Nosferatu, will be on friendly term regardless of other affiliation.

A diverse group, they could embrace pretty much anyone. Physical or Mental attribute are favor, as well as some for of military or Intelligence background.

Discipline: Auspex, Dominate, Potence.

Weakness: All member of this House have the flaw Thaumaturgically Inept (Revised Tremere) and are universally distrusted by other Tremere (-2 to all Social Skill) as they role is well known.

Comment

That's an interesting concept, and while I know you brewed it up for a Dark Ages character. I think it'd be intriguing to have that character torpored into modern nights, having to deal with perhaps the char being the last of these 'black sheep'. Even having to face the idea that many, many modern Tremere have no idea of House Caedmon, and what the character would do afterwards having to deal with these issues. Great post.

Comment

That's an interesting concept, and while I know you brewed it up for a Dark Ages character. I think it'd be intriguing to have that character torpored into modern nights, having to deal with perhaps the char being the last of these 'black sheep'. Even having to face the idea that many, many modern Tremere have no idea of House Caedmon, and what the character would do afterwards having to deal with these issues. Great post.

That would be an interesting option indeed making it quite a surprise to Modern Age Tremere.

Currently, it is couched on a Dark Age character sheet and notes on 3 or 4 other lined pages. Caedmon himself was a 7th Gen Tremere, but his 3 Childer would not be Tremere anymore and they would be a mix of Camarilla, Sabbat, Anarch an Autarkis vampires meeting up every 12 years to take care of "Clan" business...essentially having their own little pyramid within the Pyramid.

Comment

Following that line of thought, your char, while still being the only remaining member of House Caedmon, could still have a kind of sleeper cell in the Tremere hierarchy. Perhaps "House Caedmon" is no longer the organizations name or perhaps they were absorbed into another minor faction, you could have a chronicle in fact. A cadre of players all from House Caedmon (If you wanted to remove the lone member aspect) having a sort of shadow campaign behind the scenes to establish themselves once more in the modern nights using these long dormant assets.

If my opinion is worth anything, I think it'd be a nice project to expand on, and to go a step even further have an investigation as to precisely why your bloodline is Thaumaturgically Inept. Perhaps House Caedmon could start attempting to learn their own brand of sorcery, or begin operations to defect/steal other notable clans sorceries. You could go very far with this idea, it has my internal hamster wheel spinning.

Comment

Every family has a black sheep, a secret that should remain unknown. In the case of the Tremere, that Black Sheep is known as House Caedmon.

A lesser Bloodline within the clan, they trace back their history to 1225AD, when Caedmon, a Saxon ghoul vetersn of the Omem and Massasa War, was embraced into the clan. A warrior, the choice was an odd one, but it gave rise to a small force within the ranks whose initial purpose was to defend them and direct the Gargoyle forces, but later on branch off into dealing with "problem" elements. Unlike other Tremere, they are not Blood Bounded to the Council and they can be found in any sect. Their main loyalty is to themselves first and foremost, and lie the Nosferatu, will be on friendly term regardless of other affiliation.

A diverse group, they could embrace pretty much anyone. Physical or Mental attribute are favor, as well as some for of military or Intelligence background.

Discipline: Auspex, Dominate, Potence.

Weakness: All member of this House have the flaw Thaumaturgically Inept (Revised Tremere) and are universally distrusted by other Tremere (-2 to all Social Skill) as they role is well known.

I was thinking about this sort of thing for a Tremere bloodline. A subsect of Tremere who focus on martial might. Assuming the Montmartre Pact was adopted (see Rites of the Blood), the Pyramid would definitely need a replacement for the raw muscle they lost when the Gargoyles were freed. So what started as a bloodline meant to bolster and lead them, turns into their de facto replacement.

Plus, we already have precedent for bloodlines created from specialized training, in the form of the Warrior Setites. It's not a dubious proposition, therefore, that the Tremere would discover the Followers of Set had that sort of thing, and try to get some Warrior Tremere of their own. Then again, it may simply have developed during the many sieges of the Omen War, when the House and Clan were desperate for any advantage to secure their survival.

I also like the idea that these "Warrior Tremere" lost their connection to blood magic as part of the process that created them, hence their Thaumaturgical Ineptitude. Taken exclusively from the stock of fighters, not scholars, and trained to hone their physical might. It's no wonder their magic would be poor.

My one qualm is the suggestion that House Caedmon wouldn't be blood bound. At least, once members started going off to do their own thing, I imagine the Pyramid would rectify that mistake among those still loyal. Every errant Tremere - even a bloodline of same - is an embarrassment and a threat to the House and Clan. They aren't as much of a threat as regular Tremere, since they are poor magicians, but they are still a rogue element the Pyramid doesn't control. So keeping a rein on those that remain sounds like something the council of seven would do.

Comment

I was thinking about this sort of thing for a Tremere bloodline. A subsect of Tremere who focus on martial might. Assuming the Montmartre Pact was adopted (see Rites of the Blood), the Pyramid would definitely need a replacement for the raw muscle they lost when the Gargoyles were freed. So what started as a bloodline meant to bolster and lead them, turns into their de facto replacement.

Plus, we already have precedent for bloodlines created from specialized training, in the form of the Warrior Setites. It's not a dubious proposition, therefore, that the Tremere would discover the Followers of Set had that sort of thing, and try to get some Warrior Tremere of their own. Then again, it may simply have developed during the many sieges of the Omen War, when the House and Clan were desperate for any advantage to secure their survival.

I also like the idea that these "Warrior Tremere" lost their connection to blood magic as part of the process that created them, hence their Thaumaturgical Ineptitude. Taken exclusively from the stock of fighters, not scholars, and trained to hone their physical might. It's no wonder their magic would be poor.

My one qualm is the suggestion that House Caedmon wouldn't be blood bound. At least, once members started going off to do their own thing, I imagine the Pyramid would rectify that mistake among those still loyal. Every errant Tremere - even a bloodline of same - is an embarrassment and a threat to the House and Clan. They aren't as much of a threat as regular Tremere, since they are poor magicians, but they are still a rogue element the Pyramid doesn't control. So keeping a rein on those that remain sounds like something the council of seven would do.

An idea popped into my head while reading your post, what about giving House Caedmon some kind of addiction to magic? They were rendered magically 'impotent' by the Tremere but were struck with an addiction to the effects of magics. It would be an interesting twist around the commonality of blood bonds, but I might be hovering too close to copying the Assamites with the suggestion. Great Post.

Comment

that's very much it indeed. Embraced from warrior ghoul and leading said ghouls and gargoyle into conflict against other Cainite or the Order of Hermes. The Gargoyle Revolt was a big blow for them as they lost a competent force and were stuck fighting former troops. This would put them in a more prominent position for Defence of the Chantry.

For your qualm with the Blood-Bound I do see your point. The Proginitor, Caedmon, is Blood-Bound to the Council as he was embrace and is a Tremere, albeit an unusual one. The rest of the Bloodline I could see a few options:
1) They could be Blood-Bounded to Caedmon who is a loyal Tremere;
2) The council could have a sample of each member of the Bloodline, as a magical insurance policy just in case;
3) Oath & Conditioning (maybe reinforced with Dominate).

It would give them a bit more freedom to protect Chantry and deal with problem Tremere, but at the same time assure (some) loyalty to the Pyramid and the Council of 7.

Comment

I've recently been considering an idea for some Nosferatu who get their hands on a unique version of Protean, similar to how to aquatic Gangrel are able to learn a marine version of the discipline. Their particular form of Protean would cause their clan weakness to manifest even in animal form, thus causing them to transform into hideously mutated beasts and probably giving even their fellow vampires a heart attack!

Haven't decided on what kind of weakness to give them, yet. Right now, I'm thinking of either making them more prone to Frenzy, or causing them to progressively mutate over time until there's virtually nothing left of their human form.

Obviously, this bloodline would be affiliated with the Sabbat, and probably got their hands on Protean in hopes of wielding it against the Niktuku.

In my games all Nosferatu appear as deformed grotesque animals with Protean. If Vicissitude can't cure them, no way I'm letting Protean make them into handsome dogs and Owls.

I have a few ideas. One I used for a Werewolf the Wild West game was a Baali equivalent to the Gargoyles. Called the Brood of Belial, they would be vampires created from the severed body parts of monstrous vampires like Gangrel, Nosferatu, Gargoyles and even ghouled animal parts like goat legs and hog heads. They would be essentially slaves to the Baali, but with the option of rising up through merit.

It is a time for great deeds!

Comment

The some Learned circles within Cainite socities, there are talks, hushed one, of a rarely seen Bloodline, white as ghost, that are sometimes spotted across the world, with the exception of Africa where they almost never thread. Rumors say they come from somewhere North of the Levant and Mesopotamia. Some clan they do not trace their line to Caine, Hell, some claim they were around before the Dark Father even met Lilith during his wandering. But those learned Cainite not and smile, knowing the folly of such claims, yet secretly hoping never to encounter such creatures.

The [Name TBD] are an old Bloodine of Albino Vampire. Every single one of them suffered from this rare genetic disease and if they were not born with it, they will start to exhibit it after the embrace and be fully albino somewhere around their third decade amongst the Dead. In they past they were Seers and Wiseman/Wisewomen for the tribes they were living with, acting as a bridge between the Two World. Sacred being, they would walk openly amongst those people without fear if harm. However as the ages progress, they became more secretive and learned the virtue of the Masquerade.

Today, they will value wisdom and insight first and foremost when embracing a new Childe. Social skill and good people skills are also valued.

Discipline: Animalism, Celerity, [???]

Weakness: Every member suffer from the effect of Albinism as soon as they are embraced. Meaning they are more sensitive to bring it light as well as to the effect of the sun. In some case they may even suffer penalty to social skills due to their odd appearance (-2 penalty suggested).

edit:
[???]
Unnamed Discipline, that will allow the user to see the beyond and even attempt to divine the future outcome. I'm seeing this as about halfway between Spiritus and Necromancy and an Aura reading ability similar to Auspex. The lower powers would allow them to pierde the veil and see the Spirits/Dead around them (possibly including the Changeling true Mien and the Fallen trueform), and see the Aura. Mid-kevel would allow to interact with the Spirit/Dead and gain minor favor/book. Higher level would allow to travel to the Spirit world and interact/pay homage directly, possibly allowing for greater boon/favor.

Comment

Naturally I've got a whole freaking bunch of bloodlines, most of them for the historical lines (Dark Ages and Victorian Age). Mostly I've worked with Brujah so far but I've also got some scattered ideas for other Clans.

Brujah

Zakarim - Proto-Brujah of a frenzy-proine disposition, only two Disciplines and so on

Areiai - Violent raiders and pirates who terrorized the Aegean in their heyday during the Bronze Age collapse and the Greek Dark Ages

Blood Templars - Catholic crusaders who had a short boom during the Crusades but have waned since then

Katapraktoi - A Byzantine warrior bloodline

Molochim - A bloodline dedicated to the protection of [Brujah] and to seek for its restoration after Carthage

Aigle - Essentially Napoleonic fanboys ready to tear down the old order, Victorian Age

Polydema - Radical democrats from Athens who are ready for another round against oligarchy and monarchy, Victorian Age

Monakh - Violent reactionary monks in Russia who brought, or helped to bring, Christianity to Russia, and they'll be damned if they allow godlessness and modernity to undo their work, Victorian Age

Nosferatu

Brothers of the Rat - already described elsewhere, Victorian Age

Gremlins (?) - Will need a new Discipline for their concept so I am thinking about skipping this Victorian bloodline. But essentially thinkers with machinery.

White Worms - A kind of "monsters in the earth" like of creatures who are probably more debased than other Nosferatu and a bit like the "Worms of the Earth" from Howard's Bran Mak Morn stories. Its possible that I'll remake them into more unknown monsters who are not Kindred but creatures that occasionally comes into contact or conflict with the Nosferatu in the dark corners of the Earth.

Tzimisce

All the revenant families turned into bloodlines instead. This change is soothing for my soul.

Asshuri

Idea for an entirely new Clan based in the Middle East and spreading outward and conceptually based on various warrior cultures from the region like the Assyrians, Persians and so on. The main thing will be to differentiate them from the Assamites, Ventrue and Lasombra but I have faith and conviction that this concept can work. Right now the basic idea is that they'll be based around glory and the search for it, in opposition to the Assamites' concern with justice, the Ventrue and Lasombra games of power and so on.

Ventrue

Baalim - I really dislike the idea of the Baali so I threw them out and brought back the Baalim name in a more positive concept, Dark Ages

For as long as there have been vampires there have been those who keep to themselves, hoping to avoid the Jyhad around them. They close themselves off in isolated castles, mansions, or villages and tend to their own affairs. They declare themselves Autarkis, or hover on the very outer edge of a sect.

The Orlocki are said to originate in Eastern Europe, where they are known to have lived such isolated existences well before the rise of Rome. Stories told among themselves claim the small villages they ruled worshiped them as virtual blood-gods. Others claim they were more integrated into the communities, treated as respected elders of the tribe.

Whatever the case, the rise of the Tzimisce pushed them from their mountain hide-aways. Some Orlocki entered into agreements with the Old Tzimisce, serving as administrators of their lands and commanders of their soldiers. Most of these, and their childer, were destroyed in the war with the Tremere, though a few remain as allies or rivals to the Tzimisce. One is even said to have been accepted as a member within the Oradea League.

Other Orlocki, unwilling to watch their homeland taken by another clan, fled to lands across Europe and Central Asia. These became the bulk of the line by the Renaissance. They existed in a quiet, cautious manner, ruling small towns and castles, often in the most isolated places.

Who are the Orlocki?
Though each Orlock is unique, there are some commonalities. Given their unusual appearance, they tend to be somewhat reclusive. On the other hand, once they establish themselves in the sort of close-knit, isolated Domain they prefer they rarely bother to hide their faces. It's been said (by John Updike) that in small towns, there are no such things as secrets, only areas of mutual avoidance. In this way, the Orlocki maintain a semi-Masquerade within their domains. That said, most maintain a inner circle of cronies who serve as domestic servants, business managers, bodyguards, and boon companions... most of these favorites fulfill all of these roles at one time or another.

The Orlocki deeply value personal loyalty. The obedience of those who would reside in their domains is richly rewarded, while those who are less eager to serve may find themselves brutally punished... often ripped to shreds by the Master's fangs and claws. This is, in fact, one of the main points of divergence between the Orlocki and other High Clans.

A great deal of status is gained or lost among this line based on only two factors: How thoroughly is the Domain ruled? and How perfect good of a place to live does the Domain appear to be? Let other clans pillage their own Domains, leaving bodies to hang at the crossroads. An ideal Orlocki Domain is one in which everyone serves diligently because there is no other place on earth where the residents can imagine being happy.

Sometimes, this can lead to tyrannical micro-management of the human's affairs, other times it can lead to the relentless pursuit of new streams of revenue for the Domain. To visitors, the Domain nearly always looks good on the surface, with clean streets, top-notch schools, and jobs for all. The only subtle sign something is amiss is when an Orlocki overlord allows their own petty obsessions to bleed over into visibility. For example, if an Orlock enjoys fishing, then every man, woman, and child in town will devote their leisure hours to rod and reel.

Orlocki are not as paranoid of outsiders as some other clans. They do have a habit, however, of using Dominate to force visitors to only speak in glowing terms of their visit. The Orlocki are not above kidnapping and brainwashing a visitor into staying in town permanently if the new recruit is of generally high quality and has a useful skill.

For residents of the town, they live with a constant pursuit of perfection, with sixty-hour work weeks, and the constant fear of being fired. Everyone in town understands that they are one poor performance review away from getting the axe... literally. In this manner, less capable Orlocki raise the average quality of resident.

Social affairs occur among the Orlocki sporadically, but are quite the show. Each century, on the anniversary of their embrace, Orlocki are expected to host a Gathering in their towns. All members of the line must be invited. Anyone overlooked is likely to be quite unforgiving. Those who attend find a very formal event, with white tie, a sumptuous hall and the finest vessels. Those unable to attend risk offending the host, and so send their regrets and some splendid gift. Orlocki are rather competitive about these parties. Some hosts have been known to provide the most amazing entertainments, from world-renowned musicians to the ritual slaughter of a hundred virgins. The various soirees, meet and greets, and symposia go on for several nights, though it is considered gauche to stretch a party out for a full week. None of the guests would want to be away from their Domains that long, but would find it rude to leave early.

Orlocki Archetypes

Shadow Mayors
Some Orlocki enjoy being loved and befriended by their subjects. It's so much more pleasant for all concerned when everyone smiles and acts happy to see you. These vampires make every effort to ingratiate themselves with their subjects. Some go so far as to using Dominate to edit out any social faux pas or awkward moments. The Shadow Mayors always have a smile on their faces, and a spring in their steps as they stroll the streets of their towns, waving at passersby. These are also the sort of Orlock most likely to punish the use of profanity or disagreeableness with the death penalty.

Shepherds
There are those who rule for personal benefit, and then there are those who rule due to a higher calling. The latter Orlocki understand that this isn't their town, they are merely entrusted by God with its care. Every resident is required to attend every possible religious service, and to hold an unshakeable faith. This isn't actually very difficult, given that the Shepherds can show their flock seeming miracles... or implant memories of having seen them. Oddly, the religions chosen by the Shepherds are quite diverse, and relations between their cult-leader vampires are quite collegial. Perhaps this isn't so surprising since few Orlocki have little more than a tissue paper faith.

Mister Potters
There are those who say the villain in "It's a Wonderful Life" was modeled directly on Orlocki. If not, it's too bad, because it was quite the accurate portrayal of this way of being an Orlock. Move into a town, buy up a few businesses, drive the rest into the ground and either buy them out or establish a replacement. Every house is a rental property. Every election is rigged. Every cop is on the Orlock's payroll. Every school-child knows their fate is to work the rest of their lives for the man in the mansion on the hill. He doesn't bother with being loved. Where's that ever gotten him? Well, for one thing, it got him a mansion on a hill... and all those other things mentioned above. So, there's that.

Eminences Grises
Maintaining a public persona can be tiring, and not every Orlock is built to be a front-office worker. So, they hole up in some large, old building... bonus points if they convince everyone it's haunted or cursed or forbidden or whatever... and run things quietly from behind the scenes. With Dominate for editing memories, it's quite possible to run a town with an iron grip while not a single soul knows you exist. This can, of course, be a lonely existence, but some are comfortable with that. Others maintain only a small circle of close companions, and otherwise hide like a trap-door spider.

Jagun
Considered quite exotic by their fellows, the Jagun do not bother with ruling a patch of land, rather they focus their efforts on a tightly connected group of mortals who live on the road. Historically, these tended to be mercenary companies or, in one infamous case from which the Jagun derive their name, a particularly effective band of Mongols sweeping across Russia. Tonight there are Jagun who patronize biker gangs, military units, traveling circuses, and large ships. They hold as much, if not more, control over their charges as these insular sub-cultures rarely have the chance to build any ties outside their traveling bands.

Patriarchs
Traditionally, these Orlocki exist in larger cities where it is impractical to control the entire urban area with the sort of death-grip the Orlocki prefer. The term originated from small isolated villages, where most of the families were inter-related in some way, which were engulfed by the growth of nearby cities. This left the Orlocki in question with an odd Domain. Often it is an extended family who spread out across many neighborhoods and even to other cities, but retain a strong sense of identity. In the modern nights, the term also applies to any Orlok who claims an insular group within a larger community as their Domain. Patriarchs tonight are known to patronize immigrant communities, religious faiths, and minority populations. The main difference between Patriarchs and Jagun is the Patriarch charges live a more settled life in one city, whereas the Jagun is itinerant. Also, the Jagun is much more likely to have a military or outlaw lifestyle.

Disciplines

Animalism

Orlocki use Animalism to ensure a steady supply of food, as well as numerous spies through out their Domain. More reclusive Eminences Grices sometimes maintain unnaturally close relationships with their pets, which range from the banal rats, cats and mutts, to more exotic fauna like bears, elk, and crocodiles. Some small amount of status can be gained for Orlocki who maintain a large menagerie of unusual animals. Nothing keeps outside Kindred from encroaching in your town like a trained attack force of ghouled elephants!

Dominate

This is one of the most potent Orlocki tools. Kindred more accustomed to large cities fret that it is impossible to use Dominate on the maddening crowds of the major metropoli. This is not a problem in a small town, where everyone knows everyone, and one person can hold vast influence. A particularly popular application of Dominate is to heavily edit subjects' memories. There are stories of whole towns who have been ghouled, yet no one realizes they are living as unaging beings, for their memories are so distorted. So important is Dominate to the Orlocki that, by tradition, any mortal who seems unusually resistant to its pull must be either destroyed, ghouled, or embraced. Many Orlocki were embraced for exactly this reason.

Protean

Life in the countryside can be dangerous. The ability to merge with the soil or turn into a beast is quite the practical power. While Orlocki certainly value Protean for its useful applications, they also value it as a spiritual practice. Orlocki tales say that the first of their line was not born a human, but rather a wolf, who was embraced by Lilith as an experiment. The wolf-vampire then used Protean to take human form, and to transform his pack into humans as well. To this night, there are Orlocki who practice Protean as a sacred art which allows them to act as a bridge between the natural world and the realm of spirit. Many enter a shamanic trance when using more advanced applications of their powers. The scientifically minded among the Orlocki ask whether perhaps the line began with a shaman.

Bane

Orlocki undergo a physical transformation when they are embraced. They are not precisely ugly, and can have Appearance scores at usual levels. However, they are clearly... other. Their fangs will not retract. Their skin turns many shades lighter and loses all color. European Orlocki have chalk-white complexions, while African Orlocki have skin that resembles grey flannel. Their ears become pointed. Orlocki have eyes of an unnatural color, often ruby red. The nails on their fingers and toes become quite thick and long, though most members of the line trim them nightly. Some Orlocki find themselves becoming hirsute or completely hairless. Some find their body shape changing, often becoming taller and thinner... it's not uncommon for them to appear gaunt.

Subtract dice equal to the Bane Severity from all dice pools used for pleasant social interaction with strangers. This cannot take the pool below one die.

Comment

Though all vampires who know of this line agree it is an ancient lineage, with even Lhiannon and Noiad not claiming to be older, few can guess at their actual origins. Thy lived isolated existences in deep forests, but briefly interacted with other vampires as patrons of the Wendish people, a Slavic peoples in Western Europe. They appeared in courts shortly after the fall of Rome and retreated as the anarch revolt began.

In the modern nights, they hold domains scattered from Scandinavia to the Kamchatka Peninsula known by locals to be forbidden holdings of the reclusive Leshy. Only the bravest would dare cross into these sacred groves, and few have ever returned. Rumors circulate of modern Leshy claiming a city park here or an abandoned lot there, but only the Leshy themselves can say for sure.

Sect: Organized into small broods, with little interaction outside their line, no known Leshy holds membership in any sect. When Leshy make contact, they respectfully follow the local laws, but refuse direct involvement. This is an easier stance to maintain in Camarilla cities, than in Sabbat.

Since the industrial revolution and the resulting loss of forest habitat, a few small groups of Leshiye have moved into urban parks. Others have found their old groves surrounded by human development. Both grudgingly communicate with Kindred society, just enough to insist on their right to solitude.

Appearance: Leshiye undergo a monstrous transformation to their appearance when embraced. Their skin grows thick and woody, often resembling the bark of local trees. This is most often oak bark, though a few birches and pines have been seen. Their eyes are invariably green, with no visible white, and their hair (including body and facial hair) is replaced with leaves, twigs and moss. Many find themselves grower quite large and bulky. Feet and hands grow into roots and branches. The smell of humus and leaf litter seems to cling to them. Within their sacred groves few Leshy bother with clothing. Those who visit cities deign to wearing discarded clothing they have found in their forests if forced to do so by the local court.

Haven: Havens are nearly always in a grove of trees or a forest of some sort, with extensive subterranean homes. These burrows are a complex maze of tunnels and chambers, with private quarters for each Leshy. Many Leshiye maintain a collection of some sort to help pass the time, such as coins, books or hand-carved animal bones. These collections are always given a place of honor in the antechamber of each Leshy's quarters, and the quality of the collection can serve to raise their status within the grove.

Some groves now have electricity and other conveniences, but their style is always best described as "rustic". Traditionalists eschew modern technology as unnecessary, but few are fanatics about it.

Burrows always have a ritual space for tutelage in Sylvan Sorcery. These chambers are quite large and include a sacred circle laid out in stone on the floor, as well as an area for verbal instruction in the discipline. Sylvan Sorcery rarely uses tools or books, but a collection of natural objects like dried herbs, animal parts, and unusual stones are kept on hand.

Mundane trespassers on Leshy holdings are dealt with in one of two ways. Either the Leshiye hide if they don't feel like being bothered, or they snatch the stranger and keep them in the forest... permanently. Some humans may be allowed to reside in the forest as ghouled servants, companions, herd, or priests to the Leshiye. Most are simply killed. A very, very few are embraced.

Background: Most Leshy, as humans, wandered into the grove and wound up serving the Leshy. After years of loyal service, they are granted the embrace. On occasion, Leshiye will embrace someone with specific skills the grove needs, such as a forester, construction worker, or guardian. Some humans may be embraced if they show tremendous reverence for nature, such as a neo-pagan, environmentalist, or field scientist.

Character Creation: Physical attributes (especially Strength and Stamina) are often primary, given the changes the embrace brings. Social and Mental traits are found in equal numbers. Animal Ken, Awareness, Athletics, Survival, and Crafts are highly valued by most groves. Given the closed nature of their line, they need to fulfill all their needs themselves. Most members will have at least one specialty, such as Occult, Academics, or Combat. Groves have little compunction against clearing away any dead wood which doesn't pull it's own weight.

Sylvan Sorcery is a style of blood sorcery mechanically similar to Thaumaturgy as practiced by nature-based Tremere. Many of its techniques are familiar to Verbena. (With whom some groves have polite contact.) Leshiye always learn the Green Path as their primary path. Other paths available to them are: Biothaumaturgy (with a less scientific, more grisly herbalist flavor), Elemental Mastery, Hearth Path, Neptune's Path, Mars, Warding, Rego Mentum, Dionysus, and Weather Manipulation.

In addition, they often have out-of-clan access to Spiritus.

Weakness: All Leshiye have an Appearance score of zero, and they may never improve it. Cross it off the character sheet. Dice pools that use the Appearance Trait are inherently difficult for these freakish walking trees.

Ghoul Weakness: Leshy ghouls become deeply loyal to their masters. So deeply, in fact, that once the blood bond is established, they acquire the Amnesia flaw. (V20, p. 486)

Organization: Traditionally Leshiye organize into egalitarian broods of between three and thirteen members who share a communal haven and domain. Once embraces raise the group above that number, a faction will transplant to a new location. The brood is ruled in a loose democracy, with greater weight given to elders, if they are wise. Neo-nates gain quick acceptance if they find a specialty that makes them useful.

Most backgrounds are held communally, and Leshiye look on those who horde power with suspicion. Status within the line is gained by advancing the communal backgrounds, by having a useful skill, and by being a pleasant companion. It's not unheard of for those who seek to dominate their fellows to be diablerized.

There is a tradition among the Leshiye of welcoming Leshy from other groves without question. Some Leshy move from grove to grove, carrying news and gossip from grove to grove. Leshiye are of two minds concerning these nomads. One the one hand they perform a vital service and are held in theoretical esteem. On the other, few envy them their rootless existence. Such travelers have a reputation for unstable minds and eccentric behavior, which may explain their wanderlust.

Compulsions:
1.Flee: Screw your responsibilities and duties. You need some "me time". Now.
2.Cryptid: Allow a mundane human to catch a glimpse of your real self. Just a glimpse, though, the goal is to terrify the human into leaving you alone, not making them more curious.
3.Gremlin: Find a symbol of engineering, science, or industry owned by a human and destroy it. A car will do nicely, but burning down a gas station would be better.
4.Acquire: Find a human in your domain and stalk them from a distance until they collapse from sheer terror and give up. Then do whatever it takes to keep them with you forever. Ghouling, killing, embracing, or even a simple cage all seem like good ideas.
5.Wild Hunt: Rampage wildly through the area. The first large animal (including humans) you find must be ripped limb from limb.

Sample Character Concepts: Hippie mystic, Redneck hunter, Field Biologist, Gardener of the forest, Animal Lover, Librarian of the Grove, Army Ranger, Burrow Builder, Feral Child, Physician turned herbalist, Savage monster, Wise old oak, Serial kidnapper, Diplomat to local vampire court, Hoarder of found bric-a-brac, Manipulative would-be leader, Child with human playmates in town, Psychopathic defender of the grove, Recently awakened ancient, Expert in magic, Dementia patient who wandered into the woods, Dancer in the trees, Drug addict from the city, Contemplative mystic, Nature poet, Argumentative environmentalist, Pervy stalker, Last survivor of a land development company, Overseer of ghouls, Nomad who can't find a grove

Stereotypes:
Ahrimanes: We still mourn these brave ladies. With them gone, some of us had to become messengers ourselves.
Lhiannan: Good fences made good neighbors. The last I heard of them was in a Fleetwood Mac song.
Gangrel: Sometimes they wander onto our land. Ask them nicely to leave. Count to ten, then destroy them.
Nosferatu: It's always sad when you meet someone with no home to go home to, but we are not that home, and never will be again.
Toreador: One came here a few years ago to record nature sounds. He was yummy.
Tremere: Them and us. Hmm. It's like the difference between smelling a pretty flower and reading the fully sequenced genetic code of a flower. They know more, but we understand more.
Tzimisce: You're gonna send monsters after us? Ha! Need to evict a Fiend? Easy, just kill every single living thing in their orbit. They're wholly dependent on their flesh-toys.
Ventrue: This is the ruling caste of the outside vampires. I wonder what they did to be punished with that job?
Camarilla: Hold your hat in your hand at keep your distance. In fairness, we should do that, too.
Sabbat: They know everything they need to be happy, but decide it's more fun to be angry. Pfeh.
Anarchs: Every oak was an acorn once, too.

Views from others:
Giovanni: Meh, some Dunsirn might be afraid of the woods, but I say if a bunch of walking bushes wanna rule an empty lot, let 'em.
Gangrel: If you stumble across them, just back away slowly like you never saw them. If they approach you? Smile, apologize, and run.
Nosferatu: They're clearly related to us. I wonder why the Niktuku don't go after them? Hmmm...
Tremere: They aren't worth the effort to uproot. At least they keep everyone else out, too. Green Path? No, no, we invented that.
Ventrue: It's unfortunate, but sometimes your neighbor keeps a messy yard. At least they don't ask to borrow a cup of sugar too often.
Camarilla: As long as they don't break any rules, who cares?
Sabbat: Vampire trees? Are you stoned?
Anarchs: I met a group of them on the road. Seemed okay. Had the vibe of a sixties commune. But, dude, put on some pants.